a dogs nose knows, but does ours?

How is it that a dog can sense things like going to the vet?  For the first 4 years of Cally’s life he went to the same vet….begrudgingly…I had to bribe him every step of the way to get him through the doors.  I often wondered what it was that created so much stress for him, when the vet and assistants were so good.  What sort of trauma occurred for him to become increasingly agitated with the vet?  Then it dawned on me!  His Manhood was taken away!    Does he remember this?   It begs the question(no that pun was not intended):  do human beings remember on a cellular level or through deep memory our own hurts or operations when young,if a dog seemingly does?

The debate against circumcision has long included the argument that the newborns remember the event.  None of the men I have asked(and I have asked!), remember the event.  Perhaps they are suppressing it.  Perhaps those that started off in life experiencing great pain, through evolutionary protective reactions, are able to categorize this as a one time event, and then move on…..I digress.

My dog, was not willing to give up his fear of that particular vet.  We changed vets, when one day Cally absolutely refused to enter the building.  On to a different doctor, and life has been all smiles and treats for Cally…or so we were told…today….by the vet…  He had his annual check-up and apparently he has been smiling a lot lately because he is getting fat.  I have to admit, it was a bit embarrassing.  A light interrogation revealed that we were feeding him too much dog food.  Hhhhmmmm, and I thought that it was all the horse sh*t he was eating.  drats!

We were sent home with a “meal-time toy” which releases the food slower for the fast gulping canine at my feet.  Secondly, his food was changed to the fat dog formula.  I wonder now, if Cally knows that his feed has been changed to smaller servings and lower caloric content.  Will he hold this against me and the vet?  Will this now be his newest trauma?  My human parents are mean!  They give me less food (than I want)! and make me work to get it!

Parents of dogs or children; its all the same…make the tough choices and live with it, even when you are ignored.